Jim Vance’s departure from WRC’s 11 PM news broadcast isn’t just a blow for local fans of Washington’s favorite newscaster. Even high-profile expats are mourning the fact that the 73-year-old is stepping away from the late local news, as evidenced by the latest promo for Foo Fighters’ July 4 concert at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium.
The ad, which the band posted on YouTube Thursday evening, features a yokel in a Baltimore Orioles cap watching television on his couch and talking to a “hon” at the Road Ducks reunion. The screen in the video shows a classic Vance moment from 2008, in which he closed out a 6 PM broadcast with a clip from Paris Fashion Week in which a runway model stumbles twice, prompting Vance and George Michael to burst into on-air hysterics. The clip has enjoyed a long run as a viral video and frequently turns up in the top search results for either Vance or “news anchor can’t stop laughing.”
The Foo Fighters ad, which is titled “Jim Vance, we’re gonna miss you,” ends by purportedly cutting into the klutzy model’s reaction to the stumble, except in this shot, the model is replaced by former Springfield resident Dave Grohl, who appears in a blonde wig and tear-streaked makeup before the frame freezes with details for the concert.
Grohl’s tears might be a bit premature. Vance isn’t retiring in full. While his longtime chair at 11 PM will be filled by Jim Handly, Vance plans to stick around on News4’s 6 PM broadcast until his contract runs out in 2017.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Watch Foo Fighters’ Homage to Jim Vance
Jim Vance’s departure from WRC’s 11 PM news broadcast isn’t just a blow for local fans of Washington’s favorite newscaster. Even high-profile expats are mourning the fact that the 73-year-old is stepping away from the late local news, as evidenced by the latest promo for Foo Fighters’ July 4 concert at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium.
The ad, which the band posted on YouTube Thursday evening, features a yokel in a Baltimore Orioles cap watching television on his couch and talking to a “hon” at the Road Ducks reunion. The screen in the video shows a classic Vance moment from 2008, in which he closed out a 6 PM broadcast with a clip from Paris Fashion Week in which a runway model stumbles twice, prompting Vance and George Michael to burst into on-air hysterics. The clip has enjoyed a long run as a viral video and frequently turns up in the top search results for either Vance or “news anchor can’t stop laughing.”
The Foo Fighters ad, which is titled “Jim Vance, we’re gonna miss you,” ends by purportedly cutting into the klutzy model’s reaction to the stumble, except in this shot, the model is replaced by former Springfield resident Dave Grohl, who appears in a blonde wig and tear-streaked makeup before the frame freezes with details for the concert.
Grohl’s tears might be a bit premature. Vance isn’t retiring in full. While his longtime chair at 11 PM will be filled by Jim Handly, Vance plans to stick around on News4’s 6 PM broadcast until his contract runs out in 2017.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Editors' Picks
Where to Watch Your Team in the 2018 World Cup
The Terrifying Story of the Congressional Baseball Shooting
Inside Jeff Bezos’s DC Life
Political Insiders Plotted the Most Gerrymandered District in America—and Left a Paper Trail
Most Popular
Everything You Need to Know About Initiative 77 and the Tipped Minimum Wage
Protesters Confront Kirstjen Nielsen in a DC Mexican Restaurant
A Millennial Couple on a Budget Used eBay and Craigslist to Create Their Dream House
Voters Approve Initiative 77. Here Are Four Scenarios for What Happens Next.
The 100 Very Best Restaurants in Washington
June 2018: Best of Washington
Subscribe
Related Posts
Andy Kroll: Washington Is “Its Own Story” Right Now
How Can a Sunday Show Make Sense of This Insane News Cycle? Margaret Brennan Has Some Ideas
The Intercept Adds an Editor Who’ll Cover the Democrats’ Future
Farewell to The Hill’s Gloriously Ridiculous “50 Most Beautiful” List
More from News
The Five Best Train Journeys in the U.S.
The Ultimate Guide to Having a Great Train Vacation
Protesters Confront Kirstjen Nielsen in a DC Mexican Restaurant
Weren’t Evangelicals Supposed to Meet With Trump Today?